There have been some miserable nights in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United, with Monday’s defeat to Everton ranking high on that list, having allowed the ten-man Toffees to secure a first away win at Old Trafford for former boss David Moyes.

Ironically, there were shades of Moyes’ own nadir – the 2-2 draw with Fulham back in 2013/14 – about that 1-0 loss, with Ruben Amorim again in danger of heading the same way as the Scotsman in the United dugout.

Indeed, a year in charge has yielded just 12 Premier League wins for the Portuguese coach, with the positivity of the recent five-game unbeaten run now tempered with the angle of three games without a win in the top-flight.

A key crux of the issue is the use – or rather misuse – of Bruno Fernandes in a deep-lying role, with the Red Devils crying out for a new creative hub ahead of him.

Man Utd's search for a successor to Fernandes

From netting 38 goals and assists in all competitions last term, the United skipper has been forced to almost play with the handbrake on, having even operated as the deepest midfielder following Kobbie Mainoo’s introduction against the Merseyside outfit.

Currently looking ill-suited to this 3-4-2-1 system, the 31-year-old – who came close to joining Al Hilal over the summer – might be at the centre of speculation again heading into next year’s World Cup, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.

He does still lead the way at United for big chances created (3) – alongside Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – although that is half as many as the division’s leader, Jeremy Doku (6), as per FotMob, with Fernandes’ powers perhaps on the wane in his new role.

In need of a new chief creator? Well, enter Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with reports in Spain suggesting that the Manchester side are among the clubs to have expressed an interest in the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Reportedly valued at around £123m, the 24-year-old is also attracting attention from both Liverpool and Arsenal, albeit with INEOS viewing him as someone who would bring a ‘significant leap in quality’.

Now in his second season in Munich, following a £50m move from Crystal Palace last year, the London-born star is shining in German football. Could he be just what Amorim is looking for?

Why Olise would be a perfect signing for Man United

After a hefty summer of investment totalling almost £250m, there might be a sense that INEOS have already put together their long-term frontline, in the form of Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As the recent loss indicated, however, a couple of injuries to that latter duo highlighted the lack of real depth, while the pair’s return of just three goals between them is also cause for concern.

Sesko, in particular, is far from the finished article, with Amorim potentially able to fashion a fluid attacking trio of Cunha off the left, Mbeumo through the middle and Olise on the right, with the Bayern gem currently looking so devastating in that role in Munich.

In the Bundesliga alone this season, the one-time Reading winger has chalked up six goals and six assists for Vincent Kompany’s side, while registering seven big chances created in total, as per Sofascore.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in the mould of Fernandes, the left-footer has also averaged 2.3 key passes per game, while eclipsing that return from his five Champions League outings, with 2.4 key passes per game.

Three goals and assists and three big chances created have also come amid a standout start to this year’s league phase in Europe, with Olise now rightly lauded as “one of the best players in the world” by the likes of teammate Serge Gnabry.

That lofty status is more than warranted, as he currently ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, while also ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90.

Mason Greenwood

13

Michael Olise

13

Lamine Yamal

11

Antoine Semenyo

9

Ilan Kebbal

9

Christian Pulisic

7

Romain Del Castillo

7

Domenico Berardi

7

Ritsu Doan

7

Bryan Mbeumo

7

In essence, everything he does is with an attacking thought in mind, possessing that Fernandes-esque knack for being able to unlock a defence with a moment of genius.

There is also an at-times erratic quality that comes with that approach, like the Portuguese, having lost possession on average 17 times a game in Germany’s top-flight.

He is a risk-taker, however, and as Monday showcased, United could certainly do with more of that.

Having – perhaps rightly – allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho to depart, while clipping Fernandes’ wings, this is a squad in desperate need of a game-changer. Olise might just be that.

Worse than Bruno & Casemiro: Amorim can't start Man Utd duo together again

This change could help turn Man Utd’s season around.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 26, 2025

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Rice’s Scout Report
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Goals + Assists	0.49	Top 3%
Corner Kicks	3.15	Top 4%
Assists	0.27	Top 5%
Progressive Carries	2.75	Top 5%
Crosses	4.92	Top 5%
xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals	0.22	Top 6%
Non-Penalty Goals	0.22	Top 7%
Shots from Free Kicks	0.18	Top 7%
Key Passes	1.92	Top 8%
Switches	0.69	Top 9%
All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 28, 2025

Glasgow Rangers made it four wins from four matches in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday when they beat Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox, thanks to goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande.

Danny Rohl, who has now won all of his league games in charge of the club so far, was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance in the narrow win against Livi, though, as evidenced by his post-game comments below.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach wants to see improvement from his players in the weeks and months to come, as the Light Blues look to ensure that they can make something successful out of this campaign.

Rangers are already nine points adrift of first place in the Premiership, per Sofascore, but they are still in the Europa League and have the SFA Cup to play for in the second half of the season.

As Rohl said after Saturday’s game, the Light Blues simply need to improve their performances if they want to be in contention to win things by the business end of the season.

That means that individuals need to step up and become reliable performers, as too many of them have been inconsistent at best. One of those inconsistent players has been summer signing Djeidi Gassama.

Why Rangers should be concerned by Djeidi Gassama's form

After a return of four goals in six Champions League qualifiers, per Transfermarkt, the French forward looked like he was a steal of a signing at £2.2m from Sheffield Wednesday.

He was a shining light in those European matches during Russell Martin’s dismal tenure, and even added a goal in the league phase of the Europa League against Sturm Graz in a 2-1 defeat in the manager’s penultimate game in charge.

Unfortunately, though, Gassama has been unable to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his time in the Premiership so far, with one goal and one assist in 12 appearances in the division, per Sofascore.

After his stunning start to life at Ibrox in the early European games, there may have been some hope that he could kick on to become the club’s new Ryan Kent, who produced 33 goals and 56 assists in 218 outings for the Light Blues, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

12

Starts

11

Goals

1

Minutes per goal

972

Conversion rate

4%

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.8

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Gassama has not provided a Kent-esque presence on the left flank for the Scottish giants in the Premiership this season, with two goal contributions in 12 matches.

His inconsistency, as evidenced by his contrasting form domestically and in Europe, should be a concern for Rangers, given that he is starting almost every league game yet failing to deliver quality on a consistent basis.

This is why Rohl may need to look at alternative options in the left wing position in the coming weeks, as the Gers may need a new starter in that role if Gassama is unable to add more consistency to his domestic displays.

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The Daily Record recently noted that Wales international Rabbi Matondo has returned to training after a lengthy injury lay-off that had seen him unavailable for the entirety of Martin’s tenure, and speculated that he could be in for a chance under Rohl.

Why Rangers should give Rabbi Matondo a chance to shine

It would be completely understandable if any Rangers supporters were not too enthused by the prospect of the Welsh forward returning to the team to get another chance, given that he has played zero minutes this season and spent the second half of last season on loan at Hannover.

However, if he is now back in training and is fit and available for selection, the German head coach should provide him with a chance to shine, because it has been his availability rather than his ability that has been an issue throughout his career in Scotland.

Per Transfermarkt, Matondo missed 20 games in his first season at Ibrox through injury, then 19 in his second, and 23 for Rangers and Hannover combined in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he simply has not been available enough in recent years.

When fit, though, the former Manchester City youngster has shown that he has the quality to be a difference-maker on the left flank, with eight goals and 11 assists in 64 appearances, per Transfermarkt, for Rangers.

Matondo, who was once lauded as “electrifying” by former manager Ryan Giggs, has averaged a goal or an assist for the Gers every 139 minutes on average, per Transfermarkt, which is an incredibly impressive return.

Appearances

218

24

67

Minutes

17,732

1,823

2,641

Goals

33

6

8

Minutes per goal

537

303

330

Assists

56

2

11

Minutes per assist

317

911

240

Minutes per goal contribution

199

228

139

As you can see in the table above, Gassama and Kent have both failed to deliver goals and assists as frequently as the Wales international in their respective Rangers careers.

One area in which Gassama particularly struggles is the creative side of the game, as evidenced by his return of an assist every 911 minutes, whilst Matondo has assisted goals even more regularly than Kent did.

This does not mean that the Welsh whiz will automatically become a star if he stays fit and plays week-in-week-out for Rohl, because he has not played a single minute this season and could need time to settle back in to playing competitive football.

However, his statistics for Rangers throughout his career suggest that he has the potential to be Rohl’s own version of Kent as a lightning-quick winger who can provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is something Gassama has failed to do so far.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi

Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.

ByBen Gray Nov 23, 2025

Sarfaraz has not played a Test since October 2024 and was not picked for the next India A series, against South Africa A starting next week

Edited PTI copy24-Oct-2025

Sarfaraz Khan last played a Test in October 2024•Associated Press

Sarfaraz Khan doesn’t need India A exposure tours to play international cricket as he can find his way back into the Test side with runs in domestic cricket, Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur has said.Sarfaraz, who made his Test debut against England in early 2024, was a part of India’s tour of Australia late last year but he has since been left out of the Test side. Out of his six Test appearances, his last was against New Zealand in Mumbai in October 2024, when India were blanked 3-0 at home. He has since toured Australia and England as part of the India A sides but he was recently left out of the squad for the India A series against South Africa A.”Nowadays, for the India A side they look at boys, who they want to prepare for international cricket,” Thakur said in Mumbai ahead of the second round of Ranji Trophy starting on Saturday. “Sarfaraz doesn’t need India A game to play international cricket. If he gets back to scoring again, he can straightaway go and play Test series also.”Related

Pant to lead India A against South Africa A at home

Mumbai’s first round fixture was against Jammu and Kashmir, which they won by 35 runs, and Sarfaraz got starts in both innings with 42 and 32 but failed to convert them into bigger scores.”He is coming from injury layoff. But before that, he scored two-three centuries in the Buchi Babu Trophy before getting injured,” Thakur said of Sarfaraz. “Coming back against J&K in the previous match, he had a nice 40 (42). It was very unfortunate to have been run out. But for him, I don’t think playing India A is important. He is a senior pro and whenever we put him in there in the 22 yards, he is someone who always delivers in crunch situations.”He has big scores of 200-250s and those innings have come when the team was two or three down quite early in the innings. To play that kind of innings under pressure, you have to have something special in you. He is one of the special players who never disappoints to perform and put up big scores. He has done it for years and years. Regardless of which number he bats, I think he will deliver.”Mumbai’s next match is at home against Chhattisgarh, who lost their first-round match to Rajasthan by nine wickets.

And what’s the worst economy rate for a bowler with ten or more wickets in a Test series?

Steven Lynch12-Aug-2025Is it right that only Don Bradman scored more runs in a Test series in which he was captain than Shubman Gill? asked Narender Singh from India
That is correct: India’s captain Shubman Gill amassed 754 runs in the exciting 2025 Test series against England. Among captains, he’s behind only Don Bradman, who made 810 in the 1936-37 Ashes. The Don started that series – his first as captain – with innings of 38, 0 and 0, but made 270 in the third Test, 212 in the fourth and 169 in the fifth as Australia uniquely came from 2-0 down to win the series 3-2.Bradman also leads the way overall for any series, whether captain or not, having scored 974 in the 1930 Ashes in England. Gill’s haul puts him 19th on that list. The Don only played in 11 Test series in his career, but scored 680 or more runs in six of them.New Zealand’s innings in the second Test against Zimbabwe included three scores of 150-plus. Was this unique? asked Nirmal Mendis from Sri Lanka
New Zealand’s total of 601 for 3 declared in their thumping win over Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last week included 153 from Devon Conway, and undefeated innings of 150 and 165 from Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra.This was only the third Test innings to contain three individual contributions of 150 or more. The first was England’s 903 for 7 declared against Australia at The Oval in August 1938: Len Hutton made 364, Maurice Leyland 187 and Joe Hardstaff 169 not out. Another distinguished trio achieved the feat as India ran up 676 for 7 against Sri Lanka in Kanpur in December 1986: Sunil Gavaskar 176, Mohammad Azharuddin 199 and Kapil Dev 163.New Zealand’s recent effort uniquely involved three left-hand batters (of the others, only Leyland was a left-hander).Brendan Taylor has been recalled by Zimbabwe aged 39. Will he be their oldest Test player? asked Richard Martin from Zimbabwe
Having served his 3.5-year ban, Brendan Taylor made his comeback for Zimbabwe in the second Test in Bulawayo last week. It wasn’t exactly a memorable return, as Zimbabwe suffered their heaviest Test defeat.Taylor is 39 years six months old – but that’s almost six months younger than his captain, Craig Ervine, who was born on August 19, 1985.Two veterans of Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test in October 1992 played their final matches when older than Taylor and Ervine. Dave Houghton, their first Test captain, was 40 years three months old during his final Test, against New Zealand in Bulawayo in September 1997, while offspinner John Traicos made his debut for Zimbabwe aged 45, and played his final Test a few months later, against India in Delhi in March 1993. Sikandar Raza, who also played in the current series, is also 39, while Sean Williams turns 39 in September. The current quartet are the four oldest active Test cricketers.John Traicos was 45 when he debuted for Zimbabwe in 1992•Getty ImagesWhat’s the worst economy rate for a bowler with ten or more wickets in a Test series? I’m guessing it might be Prasidh Krishna, as his was nearly five in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series asked Mohammad Arquam Siddique from India
That’s quite a good spot, as Prasidh Krishna’s 14 wickets in the just-concluded series cost 37.07 apiece, with the runs coming at a rate of 4.94 an over. Only four men have taken ten or more wickets in a series at a higher economy rate. West Indies’ Shamar Joseph picked up 13 in Australia in 2023-24, while going for 5.05 an over; Neil Wagner’s 11 in New Zealand’s home series against England in 2022-23 came at 5.68 an over; another West Indian, Alzarri Joesph, took ten in England in 2024 at 6.12 an over: and top of the pile is the Pakistan legspinner Zahid Mahmood, with 12 wickets at home to England in 2022-23 while going for 6.94 an over (his series figures were 62.3-3-434-12). I just read that Essex scored 560 against Sussex in 1933 without anyone making a hundred. Was that the highest total without one? asked Graham Ferris from the Philippines
Essex made 560 for 9 declared against Sussex in Leyton in September 1933, and the highest individual contribution was Jack O’Connor’s 93 (there were eight other scores between 28 and 88). That’s quite a high score without a century, but it wasn’t even a record at the time: in Derby in August 1899, William Gunn’s 90 was the highest contribution to Nottinghamshire’s total of 581 against Derbyshire.The 560 has since been pushed down to tenth on the overall list. Essex are also currently ninth, with 569 against Kent in Chelmsford in July 2016, when Ravi Bopara made 94 and Ryan ten Doeschate 91.The highest first-class total without a century is now Surrey’s 671 for 9 declared against Kent in Beckenham in May 2022: Ollie Pope scored 96, Jamie Overton 93 and Ben Foakes 91. Everyone made double figures in that innings; Hashim Amla (12) was the only one not to reach 20.The highest Test total not to include an individual century is Sri Lanka’s 531 against Bangladesh in Chattogram in March 2024, which featured 93 from Kusal Mendis and 92 not out by the unrelated Kamindu Mendis.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The committee, which included Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd, has identified the major challenges facing West Indies cricket and plotted short- and long-term actions for overall improvement

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025The cricket strategy and officiating committee of Cricket West Indies, comprising a group of former legends and current leaders, have identified key areas of focus to raise the standard of West Indies cricket as well as short- and long-term actions. In the next six months, the CWI said, specialist coaches will be hired, a “state-of-the-art” high-performance centre will be set up, and there will be close coordination with franchises that employ West Indian cricketers so player fitness can be monitored.The committee, set up in August in the aftermath of West Indies’ 27 all out against Australia in Kingston, Jamaica, brought together Clive Lloyd, Brian Lara, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Ramnaresh Sarwan, among others. The first step was to identify the challenges faced by West Indies cricket. A CWI statement on Thursday listed the major issues as: Declining quality of regional tournaments Technical, tactical, and mental skills deficiencies Underperforming franchise system Gaps in infrastructure and facilities Lack of specialist coaching support Limited ICC revenue share and financial constraints Fragmented player development pathways Inadequate fitness and conditioning standardsThese, as well as the “action items” were “presented to and approved” by the CWI’s board of directors on September 25 at the quarterly meeting.In the short term, within the next months, “an internationally proven batting coach will be hired to work across the system, and a full-time sports psychologist/performance coach will join the senior men’s team” while “the women’s team role will also be upgraded to a full-time role”. That aside, “a capital [high-performance] project proposal will be advanced for a state-of-the-art facility at Coolidge Cricket Ground, including modern nets, gym, and rehabilitation infrastructure”, and “franchise teams will now submit individual development plans and meet new minimum standards” with player fitness “closely tracked, supported by a new regional fitness leaderboard”.The longer-term actions are more exhaustive, and include: A national cricket development framework unifying grassroots, school, academy, and high-performance pathways Comprehensive franchise reform to ensure accountability for player development and consideration of alternative professional models Establishment of standardised academies for ages 11-18 to feed into the high-performance programme Completion of the high-performance centre in Antigua as the regional hub for elite development Greater focus on financial sustainability, including lobbying for equitable ICC revenue distribution and new partnerships with governments, private entities, and philanthropists A structured mentorship framework connecting current and former West Indies players with emerging talentClive Lloyd has been vocal about lobbying with the ICC for more money•ICC/Getty ImagesIn early August, at the time the committee members met the press, Lara had said, “It’s been that case for years, where we are not in the same level-playing field as other playing countries. Back in the days when skill was the prominent factor, we excelled, we were the best team in the world. But the game has evolved, and technology and analytics, and we now have to see a new way of finding ourselves back to being very competitive.”I said not a level-playing field because a lot of the countries are far ahead in these sorts of areas. The skill factor of the game is still there, but not as prominent as it was in the past.”It’s a long road; it’s not going to happen tomorrow. It was not about the 27 runs. If it was 57 or 107, will we be feeling any better? I don’t think so. It was the fact that we’ve got something to address, and for us to get back on top, or to be a competitive nation in world cricket, we’ve got to address these situations and address them shortly, quickly, and hopefully we can reap the benefits in the years to come.”In many ways, it’s a starting point for West Indies cricket – at the moment, there is a women’s ODI World Cup which West Indies failed to qualify for, while the men are on the back foot after just one day’s play in a two-Test series in India – and CWI’s director of cricket, Miles Bascombe said, “While challenges remain, our commitment to cricket development across the region is unwavering, and all efforts will be made to prioritise the execution of these initiatives.”

Curtis Jones says Liverpool are "in the sh*t" after their demoralising 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Defeat at Anfield condemned the Reds to their worst run of form in 71 years, with many scratching their heads at how they can arrest this slide. While some players will have kept their anger for the changing rooms, Jones gave a brutally honest post-match interview.

• Liverpool's plight is 'unacceptable'

  Following Liverpool's 4-1 loss to PSV on Wednesday night, which came days after a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, midfielder Jones held nothing back when analysing his side's woeful run of form. The England international said their results have been "unacceptable" and that everyone needs to do better.

  He told RTE: "I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t. I’m saying that to everybody. It’s just unacceptable. I don’t even have to wait to think about it. I’m past being angry inside. I’m at the point now where I just don’t have the words. It’s hard because I’m playing for the team I support. I’m a fan, and I’ve seen this club all my life. In a long, long time, I haven’t experienced a Liverpool team going through a period like this with results like these. But at the end of the day, we still have that badge on our chest. And until that badge is gone, we’re always going to fight. We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about and why people call it the best team in the world. But right now, we’re in the s***, and it needs to change."

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• Liverpool 'too nice' now

  The 24-year-old also believes that the fear factor once associated with Anfield is nowhere to be found. He also thinks that the Liverpool team are being a bit too "nice" and should be pressing sides like "absolute dogs".

  He also told CBS: "You just want to be a man out there and you just want to tackle someone and just be a dog out there. It’s got to be on me and the rest of the lads to change this around to not be so nice where teams are coming here thinking, ‘We’re gonna win here and score two, three, four goals’. This used to be a place that you hated to come – with the fans and how we’re going to play and how we’re going to press and be absolute dogs. Now we hardly even play. There’s times where we do play but off the ball stuff… I think that is the stuff that has to change."

• 'Cannot continue like this'

  Naturally, Slot cut a dejected figure after yet another history-making loss. Reds legend Jamie Carragher does not think the club should sack Slot but even the Dutchman is increasingly doubting his own competency. 

  He said: "I'm not questioning the players, because I know that we have very good players. Their mentality after us going 1-0 down was also what I was hoping for, but also what you have to expect if you are a Liverpool player. So it's something normal for me that you're questioning your line-ups, you're questioning your tactics, you're questioning the substitutions you make, but that's also what you do if you don't lose every single time. But it's normal for me to question the choices I make, because I've said many times that I'm responsible for this situation. But the players have so much quality that this cannot continue like this."

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  What comes next for struggling Liverpool?

  After a run of nine defeats in their last 12 games in all competitions, on top of losing six of their last seven in the Premier League, Liverpool will be low on confidence heading into a clash with lowly West Ham this weekend. The Hammers have picked up their form in recent weeks and will be hopeful of causing another upset. After that, the Reds take on Sunderland and struggling Leeds United as a huge run of matches beckons.

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

Friedkin now plotting 2026 move to sign "sensational" boyhood Everton fan

He recently scored a hat-trick.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

Only three players earn more than James Ward-Prowse at West Ham

Peter Crouch has hit out at Liverpool' defensive frailty after they lost another game in midweek. The Reds fell to a disappointing 4-1 home loss to PSV in the Champions League to extend their losing streak by three-goal margins to three matches. In that time, Liverpool have conceded 10 goals, and Crouch took aim at the defending champions as they look to rescue their season this weekend.

Liverpool have lost nine of their last 12

Liverpool fell behind to an Ivan Perisic penalty in the sixth minute at Anfield on Wednesday night but were level 10 minutes later through Dominik Szoboszlai. However, Arne Slot's side failed to push on in front of their fans and fell behind again 11 minutes after the break as Guus Til restored the Dutch side's lead.

And a late brace from Couhaib Driouech compounded a miserable evening for Liverpool. The 4-1 defeat means Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions, a woeful run of form that means Slot is under pressure to turn the club's fortunes around.

The Reds come into the weekend's game at West Ham 11 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, and their title defence lies in tatters. And former Liverpool and England striker Crouch has heavily criticised the club, describing the loss to PSV on Wednesday as "defensively woeful".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReds legend slams performance vs PSV

Peter Crouch was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power when asked what he made of the performance against PSV, to which he replied: "Defensively, woeful. It just didn't look like them at all. They weren't getting up to people, there was no tracking back. Salah is guilty of that, but I don't think there's anyone in a Liverpool shirt right now who can hold their hands up and say they've been playing well. A real frustration for all Liverpool fans.

"I saw Curtis Jones' interview saying it’s the hardest time of his career at the club. You can lose a couple of games, that's bad enough. But to lose to them in that manner, I remember playing PSV and they're a decent team, but Liverpool should be putting them away. These things can happen but it's happened too regularly and it's clear there is a deep-rooted problem there."

The defeat to the Dutch outfit means Liverpool now sit 13th in the league phase of the Champions League, albeit just a point off the top eight that was guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the competition. 

Liverpool and City losing their fear factor

Liverpool are not the only Premier League powerhouse that looks vulnerable this season. Manchester City, who would previously steamroll opponents, have looked less untouchable over the past 12 months, as the Cityzens now look to reclaim the Premier League title.

Crouch, though, believes that visitors at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium are quietly confident they will get something, whereas in the past that would have been unthinkable. "Teams are going to the Etihad and Anfield now and believe they'll get a result," Crouch added.

"In years gone previous, certainly under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it was a complete write-off. Even if you did get a result, you'd be expecting your goalkeeper to be keeping you in it, saving 25/30 odd shots, so there's definitely a loss of the fear factor and you can put some pressure on them."

City, like Liverpool, also lost in midweek as a much-changed side crashed to a 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. A 2-1 loss at Newcastle last weekend, meanwhile, means they head into Saturday's game against Leeds seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.

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AFPCrouch insists there is 'no limit' to Arsenal

Crouch also praised Arsenal as the Gunners maintain their title push. The north London side sit top of the Premier League and Champions League following respective wins over Tottenham and Bayern Munich following the international break as they seek to secure their first league title in over 20 years, and the first major piece of European silverware in their history.

And when asked whether there is a limit to Arsenal's season, Crouch said: "There's no limit for Arsenal this season. I look at the other teams around them and I think they’re superior to them. The only thing that’s holding them back is the fact that they haven't done it.

"Under Arteta, they've won a cup, but they’ve not won a league and they've not won a Champions League, that's the only stumbling block. When it gets towards that crunch point in the season, the crowd get nervy, and so might the players. Until you overcome that, the question marks will always be there. But I believe they've got winners in their dressing room and they'll overcome it."

Arsenal face second-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, and could end the weekend nine points clear at the top of the table should they beat the Blues and results elsewhere go their way.

A lot can happen over the course of a long Major League Baseball season. A small-market team can emerge as a juggernaut. Big-market teams can be humbled. The deepest division in baseball a year ago can be turned directly on its head.

Just under a month and half remains in the 2025 regular season, and baseball's pecking order looks very different now from how it looked early on. Can the Brewers keep up their blazing second half? Can the Yankees and Mets rediscover their old mojo? What's going on in the American League Central? These issues and more will be explored in this edition of Fact or Fiction.

The Brewers will end the season with MLB's best record

Verdict: Fact

At 79–47, Milwaukee is perched atop both leagues and on pace for the best record in franchise history. The squad leads the Cubs by seven games in the National League Central and the Phillies by six games in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NL, and is five games better than the AL-best Tigers.

The question is whether those leads can hold up for the rest of the season. Milwaukee's remaining opponents have a winning percentage of .510 (11th strongest). Contrast that with .468 for Chicago (29th), .502 for Philadelphia (15th), .471 for the Dodgers (28th), and .493 for the Tigers (19th). Those numbers don’t post the prettiest picture, but the Brewers do play 22 of their 36 remaining games against teams under .500—more than the Cubs (21), Phillies (19) and Tigers (12), and just two fewer than the Dodgers. That’ll be present more opportunities to stack up wins against inferior competition. They also possess perhaps the best pitching depth in the league.

MORE:SI:AM | The Brewers’ Streak by the Numbers

Who can gain ground on the Brewers by beating them directly? The Cubs have two more chances to this week, but that’s the last time the two division rivals play. Back-to-back series against the Blue Jays and Phillies loom. A protracted dip seems unlikely, though, so Milwaukee can dream of a third straight division title—and a good shot at a first playoff series win since 2018.

The Yankees and Mets will both miss the playoffs

Verdict: Fiction

The Yankees were in danger of falling out of the playoff picture as recently as Friday, thanks to a lengthy slump and a month-long tear by the Guardians. The weekend, however, broke perfectly New York's way: the Yankees swept the Cardinals and watched Cleveland drop three in a row to the Braves. The Guardians scraped together a win over the Diamondbacks Monday, but lost again Tuesday. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are on a four-game losing streak.

What about the Mets? Ice cold of late as well, they also received a pair of morale boosts over the weekend. Pitcher Nolan McLean was sterling in his MLB debut against the Mariners Saturday, and they hammered Seattle in the Little League Classic Monday. The Reds still are just one game back for the final NL wild-card spot, but manager Carlos Mendoza’s crew has to be in a better mood amid a series against the last-place Nationals.

All that is to say: a postseason without both New York teams seems unlikely. There've been just four such playoffs this century—2008, '13, '14 and '23. While these Yankees may lack the single-minded, top-down seriousness of manager Joe Torre's squads of yore, they are better on paper than Cleveland and Kansas City—the Royals have won five in a row and trail Boston by 2 1/2 games for the final AL wild-card spot. Likewise, the Mets' potent offense should shake pesky Cincinnati.

No AL Central team will qualify for a wild-card spot

Verdict: Fact

As much of a boon as this past weekend was for the Yankees, it was a cataclysm for Cleveland—a team that had looked so good since a 10-game losing streak around the Fourth of July. It's clear the Guardians—a .516 team that should be a .468 one, per Pythagorean winning percentage—are punching above their weight, and the Atlanta series may have let the air out of Cleveland's balloon.

The Guardians actually now trail the Royals, fellow Pythagorean overachievers, by a half game. Like Cleveland, Kansas City has had an up-and-down 2025 after a very good '24. The Royals have dealt with a rash of pitching injuries and were briefly seven games under .500 in early July, but have played themselves back into the wild-card race.

Neither squad seems to have the offensive firepower to overtake the Yankees, Red Sox or Mariners, though—the Royals possess the AL’s worst offense (3.81 runs per game), and the Guardians (3.97) are barely better, outpacing just the Royals and White Sox among AL teams.

Pete Crow-Armstrong will enter the 40–40 club

Verdict: Fiction

Let's do some napkin math here. Appearing in 121 of Chicago's 125 games (a 156-game pace, rounding down), Crow-Armstrong has hit 27 home runs and stolen 30 bases. Therefore, Crow-Armstrong should play around 35 more games, and he would need to hit 13 home runs and steal 10 bases in those games to join the 40-40 club.

Based on his pace to date, Crow-Armstrong would be expected to hit seven home runs and steal nine bases over any given 35-game span. That'd leave the NL's bWAR leader six home runs and one steal short. The Cubs have never had a 40–40 player, and it appears likely that will remain the case. Chicago’s breakout player was on pace to make history for much of this season, but an awful August thus far (zero home runs, one stolen base, .420 OPS) has likely scuttled that possibility.

Are there any between-the-lines numbers hinting at a potential late power or speed explosion for Crow-Armstrong? Chicago does play three games in Denver from Aug. 29–31, along with the Nationals' and Angels' high-ERA staffs (5.33 and 4.69, respectively). Crow-Armstrong doubling his home run pace is a tough ask, however.

Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodríguez will both enter the 30-30 club

Verdict: Fact

Two teams all-time have put teammates in the 30–30 club: the 1987 Mets (infielder Howard Johnson and right fielder Darryl Strawberry) and Colorado in 1996 (outfielders Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks). Both of those teams missed the playoffs, so the Mariners have the chance to cap a special season with a historic feat.

Back to the abacus for this one. Arozarena: 23 homers and 24 steals, pacing for 159 games, his current clip would leave him a home run short. Rodríguez: 24 homers and 23 steals, pacing for 160 games, his current clip would leave him a steal short.

Those are easy margins to make up—easier than those of Crow-Armstrong—and it would almost be a surprise if both players didn't cross the finish line. Where can Arozarena find an extra home run? The soft-tossing Rockies come to town from Sept. 23–25. Who can Rodríguez steal on? Counterintuitively, the Dodgers—third in baseball in wild pitches and in the Evergreen State from Sept. 26–28.